May 2, 2014

Gandy's Grand Slam Lifts UTD to 8-6 Win Over Hardin-Simmons

Batting

Hardin-Simmons
2B: Colson Craddick 2; JT Thornton
3B: Zack de Luna
HR: JT Thornton
Texas-Dallas
2B: Nolan Smith
3B: none
HR: Tanner Gandy; Nolan Smith
full stats

RICHARDSON, TX (05.02.14) - Senior outfielder Tanner Gandy blasted a two-out grand slam in the 7th inning to spark the UT Dallas baseball team to an 8-6 win over Hardin-Simmons Friday afternoon to open the Comets' final American Southwest Conference series.

The Comets (now 23-14, 18-12 ASC) will look to end the regular season on a high note Saturday with a 12 p.m. doubleheader with HSU to celebrate Senior Day. The Cowboys fell to 17-21 overall and 13-18 in the ASC with Friday's loss.

Trailing 5-2 heading into the 7th inning with just four hits to their credit, the Comets scored five two-out runs to rally past HSU and earn the victory. After a lead-off single by Trevor Clifton followed by a double by Nolan Smith, the Comets loaded the bases after an HSU pitching change and a Jimmy Norris Walk. Gandy then took HSU reliever Alex Bradley (0-2) deep to right field for his first home run in his two years as a Comet. The grand slam was the 28th in program history and first since 2012.

UTD added another run in the 7th on a Brandon Clounch single after back-to-back hit batters by the third HSU pitcher of the game, Taylor Peables. The Cowboys got a run back in the 8th on a sacrifice fly before Clounch took over with two outs in the frame and closed the contest to collect his ASC-leading ninth save of the season, one shy of the UTD single-season record.

The Cowboys opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd after Zack de Luna tripled to right-centerfield and then scored on a Brandon Walker sacrifice fly. UTD then snagged the lead in the bottom of the frame on a two-run homer by freshman Nolan Smith, his first of the season. HSU responded with three runs in the 4th, thanks to five hits, but left the bases loaded as Comet starter Tyler Dauer induced a two-out pop-up by Jon Finney to limit the damage.

However, that would be the final pitch thrown by Dauer as he left his shortest appearance of his 12 starts this season in advance of next week's ASC Tournament.. Dauer gave up four earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts before his early exit. John Quisenberry tossed the next two frames, giving up a run on three hits, and Clayton Buckner (2-2) threw 1.2 innings, allowing a run on a hit and a pair of walks. Clounch recorded four outs with a pair of strikeouts for the save, his second straight save of more than an inning.

Gandy finished the game 2-for-5 with four RBI and a a runs scored while Smith was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Norris was 2-for-4 a pair of steals, giving him 21 thefts on the season, and Clifton was also 2-for-4.